The Trampery studio complex in North London, which houses designers Lou Dalton, Jonathan Saunders and James Long, among others, is set to close as rents in the area escalate. The Hackney studio has been hit with a 400% rent increase to £500,000 from September.

The 2,500 sq ft workspace is home to more than 30 fashion businesses including app developers and photography agents, plus studios for designers.

Jamie Craven, communications manager at The Trampery, told The Guardian demand from designers has been huge since it opened two years ago, “suggesting there is a severe lack of space, and it’s only getting harder to find it”.

He describes the closure as “tragic” but says it’s down to an acceleration of aggressive property development Londoners are familiar with, now “at an insane rate that we can’t compete with”.

Most London Fashion Week designers are based in the east of the city and, arguably, addresses in Dalston and Hackney already suggest they are being “pushed” out as rents increase in more central areas.

Hackney is currently the favoured location for start-up fashion brands with around 2000 designers in the area.

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